New batch of port managers inducted into UNCTAD training course in Lomé , Togo

The UNCTAD/TrainForTrade Port Training Programme in Lomé, Togo on 25 - 26 July inducted a new class of 12 middle level managers from the Lomé port community into the UNCTAD modern port management course.​

Following the induction ceremony at the offices of the Togo National Shippers' Council, instruction for Module 1 of UNCTAD/TrainForTrade’s Modern Port Management course was given to the new class of trainees, two of whom are women.

Module 1 looks at the key concepts of international trade and transport, focusing on the role of ports. The Modern Port Management (MPM) course consists of 8 modules that cover the main aspects of managing a port today.

1. International trade and transport
2. Organization of a port system
3. Functioning of a port system
4. Future challenges to ports
5. Methods and tools of mort management
6. Commercial and economic management
7. Administrative and legal management
8. Technical management and human resources development

To date, 75 middle managers from the port community of Lomé have successfully completed the full course.

The MPM course lasts between 18 and 24 months, comprising around 240 hours of training. After successfully completing training in all 8 modules of the course, and successfully defending a thesis, participants are awarded the UNCTAD Modern Port Management Certificate.

At the end of Module 1, participants will be able to:

• Assess the evolution of the role of transport in international trade
•  Identify qualitatively and quantitatively the principal flows of international exchanges.
•  Understand the impact of international and regional agreements in the field of international trade and port activities.
•  Explain the most recent evolution of ship characteristics as well as those under consideration for the future.
•  Evaluate the strategies adopted by shippers for their future development and for their choice of ports of call.
•  Appreciate the importance of multimodal transport operator (MTO) in the current evolution of international transport.

The direct funding for the French-Speaking Network of the UNCTAD/TrainForTrade Port Training Programme (which the port community of Lomé is a part of) is provided by the member port communities themselves. All member port communities of the network provide a financial contribution for each programme cycle.

There are 8 port communities (from 8 different countries) that participate in the French-speaking network of the programme. A network also exists in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

For the French-speaking network, UNCTAD has a partnership with the Ports of Nantes Saint-Nazaire and Marseille, in France (le Grand Port Maritime de Nantes Saint-Nazaire and le Grand Port Maritime de Marseille). These partnering ports provide support “in kind” – they host training workshops (such as training of trainers workshops) at their ports, help revise and update the training material and, when requested, send senior managers to assist in the instruction of the different modules.

Mr. Dominique Chantrel, UNCTAD/TrainForTrade’s Distance Learning Officer coordinated the event in Lomé . Among other duties, Mr. Chantrel is responsible for coordinating the activities of the French-speaking network of UNCTAD/TrainForTrade’s Port Training Programme.